


Piggyback Ride

by SunniDi



Category: demon slayer - Fandom, 鬼滅の刃 | Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba (Anime), 鬼滅の刃 | Kimetsu no Yaiba (Manga)
Genre: Bonding Over Rice Balls, Drabble, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, M/M, Oneshot, Other, Piggyback Rides, Poly, Polygamy, Protective Bfs, Sleepy Zenitsu
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-04
Updated: 2020-05-04
Packaged: 2021-03-02 21:48:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 952
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24003853
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SunniDi/pseuds/SunniDi
Summary: Zenitsu is exhausted, but I can only imagine how tired Tanjiro gets of his bfs antics..
Relationships: Agatsuma Zenitsu & Hashibira Inosuke & Kamado Tanjirou, Agatsuma Zenitsu/Hashibira Inosuke, Agatsuma Zenitsu/Hashibira Inosuke/Kamado Tanjirou, Agatsuma Zenitsu/Kamado Tanjirou, Hashibira Inosuke/Kamado Tanjirou
Comments: 10
Kudos: 354





	Piggyback Ride

THIRD PERSON

“I’m so.. fucking exhausted,” Zenitsu groans, a look of sheer agony scrunching up his features. Tanjiro smiles pitifully at the blonde, giving a small giggle.

“Can we please take a break?” Zenitsu asks, clasping his hands together, eyes pleading with Tanjiro. The redhead blinks, glancing thoughtfully towards Inosuke.

Admittedly, Tanjiro was tired, too.

But, could the trio afford rest?

Not really, no.

“I don’t know.. what do you think, Inosuke?” Tanjiro wonders, striking the boar’s attention.

“I’m starved.. I’ll stop if there’ll be rice balls involved,” Inosuke shrugs, causing a hopeful grin to prosper upon Zenitsu’s lips.

“Can we? Can we? Can we?” Zenitsu questions, grabbing Tanjiro’s arms intensely, hopping up and down.

“I thought you were tired,” Tanjiro laughs, mocking Zenitsu’s sudden burst of energy. Zenitsu just ignores Tanjiro, continuing to grip his kimono excitedly.

“Fine, Fine.. but only 10 minutes!” Tanjiro demands, earning cheers from the blonde.

“Push-Over,” Inosuke sneers.

“I know, I know,” Tanjiro chuckles, smirking at the younger. 

“Ok... where should we sit?” Zenitsu inquires, ogling at the surrounding woods. The only spot clear of trees was their path, which was littered with sticks and mud.

“Oh.. we can’t stop here, huh?” Zenitsu realizes, smiling nervously, rubbing the back of his neck.

“We’ll have to keep walking for a bit.. sorry, Zen,” Tanjiro apologizes, genuinely worried for Zenitsu.

“No! I can’t! I’ll die!” Zenitsu protests over-dramatically, tears welling up in his golden eyes. Tanjiro frowns, unsure of what to do..

But, it seems like Inosuke’s not shy of ideas.

“Get on.”

Inosuke crouches in front of Zenitsu, accentuating his back muscles. Zenitsu pauses, flushed, now.

“W-What?” 

“I said, get on.”

Afraid of how Inosuke will react upon refusal, Zenitsu mounts the wild boy, accepting the piggyback ride. 

Inosuke stands up rather abruptly, once Zenitsu is secure on his back. 

“W-W-Woah!” Zenitsu cries fearfully, holding onto Inosuke’s toned shoulders for dear life. 

“Careful, Inosuke!” Tanjiro warns, watching helplessly as this strange act of kindness unfolds. 

“Fuck off!” Inosuke shouts, practically hissing at poor, fearful Tanjiro.

‘Oh, God- this is a bad idea,’ Zenitsu thinks to himself, Inosuke’s foul temper only worsening his doubts. 

But, after a moment of adjusting.. it was actually nice.

Not that he’d ever admit it!

It was quiet, now- the trio’s bickering finally ceasing. The only audible sound was the crunching of leaves beneath shoes- except for Zenitsu, of course, who could clearly hear Inosuke’s heartbeat because of his enhanced sense.

If Zenitsu listened hard, he could hear Tanjiro’s, too. It was very comforting, being surrounded by their pulses.

So comforting, in fact, that Zenitsu’s eyes flutter shut. Body exhausted, he fully submits to Inosuke’s warmth, nuzzling his face into the crook of the younger’s neck.

Not long after, he falls unconscious- completely entrusting himself to Inosuke.  
—  
“Ok, Itsu, we’re here... Get down.”

Silence.

“...Why isn’t he moving?”

“Oh.. I think he’s sleeping.”

Sleeping, he was. Zenitsu was out cold, arms wrapped loosely around Inosuke’s torso.

“I’ll just wake him up, then-“

“-Wait, Inosuke, don’t!”

Inosuke was more than ready to shake the limp Zenitsu lazily strung on his back to the ground. 

“You’re being a jerk.. let Zenitsu sleep,” Tanjiro demands, watching him anxiously. Inosuke flares his nostrils beneath the boar mask, grumbling angrily.

“Me? A jerk? I’m the one who just carried him all this way!” Inosuke argues, though, he keeps his voice low, not wanting to wake Zen.

“..I could’ve taken a turn, if you’d asked,” Tanjiro explains gently, feeling a little shy about the statement. He wasn’t sure wether his blushing cheeks were caused by Inosuke, or Zenitsu. 

Both gave him butterflies.

“Nah, you’d have been too tired. You should be receiving piggybacks, not dishing them out... I’d carry you both, if I could,” Inosuke admits, too stupid to realize what he was implying.

“Awh, Inosuke... you do care.” Tanjiro teases, grinning giddily. Inosuke’s entire face goes beet red, which thankfully is hidden by his mask.

“S-Shut up!”  
—  
Inosuke and Tanjiro manage to lay Zenitsu across their laps, Zenitsu’s head by Tanjiro. The redhead had removed his Yukata, draping it over Zenitsu like a blanket.

Starving, the pair begin their meal, despite Zenitsu’s absence. Since they’re eating, Inosuke removed his boar mask- an occasion both Tanjiro and Zenitsu loved.

Inosuke puts his long, raven hair into a messy bun- scraggily, yet charming.

Rice ball in one hand, Tanjiro plays with Zenitsu’s golden blonde hair, reeling in its softness. Inosuke spectates the scene curiously, wondering, had their positions been switched, would Tanjiro pet his hair, too?

The idea made him feel funny.

“I’m glad Zenitsu’s getting some rest.. I don’t think he sleeps well,” Tanjiro claims, frowning slightly. Inosuke hums, offering for Tanjiro to continue.

“He.. He wakes me, sometimes, after having a nightmare.”

“..He’ll be crying- having a bit of a panic attack, I think. I always do my best, helping him, but I worry he’s still scared.”

Inosuke hadn’t known.

It feels as though he’d been let in on a dark secret.

Studying Zenitsu’s adorably sleeping face, he says, “I want Zenitsu to trust me, like he trusts you.”

At first, Tanjiro is surprised- but, he ends up smiling at Inosuke.

“You got his name right.”

Inosuke blushes up to his ears.

“S-Shut up!” Inosuke shouts, beyond embarrassed, now. Tanjiro giggles, reminding Inosuke to keep it down.  


“Anyways.. we should get moving, again,” Inosuke decides, looking out at the nearly set sun. 

Tanjiro parts his lips to speak, taking a final glance at Zenitsu.

“Wait, Inosuke?”

Inosuke looks at Tanjiro curiously.

“Let’s all just rest, tonight.. Ok?”

“..Ok.”  
—  
The three sleep soundly, cuddled together beneath the stars.

Turns out, they could afford a break- and they deserved it.


End file.
